Residents urged to take action

(CNS): In the wake of recent acknowledgments by the police that burglaries and break-ins are on the increase in Cayman, the Security Centre is warning residents to take steps to properly secure their homes. In light of the economic recession Frank Brennan, the firm’s Vice President of Operations, noted that people can ill-afford to lose their possessions and by taking a few precautions they can keep themselves and their property safe.

“Like every other place in the world, times have change and Cayman is not the same as it was twenty years ago when people could just leave their doors and windows open and trust that no one would invade their homes,” he said in a release from the firm. “We may not like it but we all have to take security seriously. It is important that people realise that as the population grows and the economy declines there are more people among us who will take advantage.”

He said it was a fact of life that security had to be taken seriously, and while the Cayman Islands was still a very safe place to live, leaving windows and doors open or having defective locks was just an invitation to an opportunist burglar.

“We might all wish that things were different but we have to face the realities of modern life, and that means being a lot more security conscious then we used to be,” he added. He said that in many of the recent home invasions the people concerned had not properly secured their properties and it was far better for the community to be aware of the risks rather than pretending that there is no need to take precautions.

Brennan lamented the fact that everyone thinks it won’t happen to them – until, of course, it does. “It is just plain common sense to secure your home and protect your possessions and loved ones,” Brennan added. “It doesn’t necessarily take thousands of dollars to secure a home. Using quality locks and inexpensive alarm systems make it easy to keep your property secure and deter the would-be intruder or burglar.”

He said residents should check their windows are secure – even those small ones that people think no one can get in as burglars are often very ingenious. He said securing locking doors properly and making sure there are no ladders and tools lying around outside in the yard is basic security sense.

Brennan advised people to look at their homes through a burglar’s eyes to better see the weak spots. “Examine your property from the street and look for the blind spots and most vulnerable areas. Stand outside the windows and look in, make sure no valuables, like expensive electronics, are visible. If you can see your belongings so can criminals,” he added.

Brennan explained that burglars are looking for a speedy entry and not attracting attention, so the more difficult a home looks to break into the greater chance you have of deterring him. “The enemies of the burglar are time and attention. The longer it takes to enter and the more noise he makes increase his chances of being seen and caught,” he said.

Noise is a major issue and Shaun Devine, the Security Centre’s Sales Manager, said that a visible alarm is not only a deterrent in the first instance but even if a burglar tries his luck the sound will nearly always send him packing.

“We recognize that with the current economic challenges everyone is watching what they spend but it is also a time when crime is on the increase and when people are less able to replace stolen items, so we have sourced some outstandingly good value top quality alarm systems, which we are now selling.’

He said that with the Security Centre’s 2009 Summer Crime Busters Special there were numerous ways for residents to secure their homes at an affordable price. He explained that the GE Allegro Security system was less than five hundred dollars and a simple and effective way to protect your home. “We have a wide choice of security systems and a number of ways to help people afford to properly secure their homes and help them feel safe again. The Allegro is especially good value but simple and easy to use and it comes with a free smoke detector.”
Devine lamented the fact that people spend thousands of dollars on home entertainment systems but can lose them in one break-in that could have been avoided with the installation of an effective alarm and solid locks.

“The thing to remember is that once you have an alarm turn it on and above all use your security locks,” Devine said. “At the end of the day, we can sell people the most sophisticated security systems in the world but if they don’t use them we can’t help.”

He said, however, that he would be happy to talk to anyone about their home security needs and how they can protect their homes without having to break the bank.

Contact the security centre on 949 0004 or visit www.security.ky for more information